The Montgomeryshire Express and Radnor Times

AMONGST THE REUNION ISTS IN SWITZERLAD. II.—CONFERENCE CHARACTKRS. Perhaps before troubling your readers with any further geographical and personal details, I ought now to say a word or two as to the Reunion Con- j, ferences and some of the persons who took part in them. Like the place in which they were held, they were quite in contrast with those of last, year. Grindelwald is a mountain village. Lucerne a centre of city life and brilliancy. The disous- sions of 1892 were conducted in a plain little Zwinglian Church, the ouly one of which the vil- lage boasted, with the exception of the English church built through tfe exertions of the late Canon Butler, and doonwl to perish in the disas- trous conflagration of last autumn. The confer- ences of 1893 were held in the Church of the Old Catholics and the American Episcopalians. Last year the Reunionist-s formed a modest party of 950, all more or less interested in the religious ob- jects of the gathering, and regarding attendance upon the debates as a serious duty. This year they numbered 1,700, and the extension resulted naturally in greater variety and in a dispersion to some extent of the solid interest in the reunion problem which had marked the Grindelwald gathering. The change of lacale was perhaps principally responsible for the latter result, for one eould hardly imagine any body of tourists, however Puritanic in life, remaining wholly un- affected by the counter-attractions, of which Lucerne possesses so many. It has been gener- ally recognised that Grindelwald is a better centre for the purposer of the conferences, and back to Grindelwald, all being well, Dr. Lunn will go next year. The increasing success of the gather- ing, its wide recognition by religious leaders, and the advantages which accrue from a continental holiday spent in the fashion of the Reunionists, have induced their author to make the conferences an annual event. Apart from their influence upon religious thought, they will do much to familiarise a class of society who would not other- wise undertake visits abroad, with continental habits and life, and to provide exceptional oppor- tunities to persons of restricted means who long for the advantages of foreigu travel. After the lapse of a twelvemonth it was but natural to ex- pect some change in the personnel of the confer- ence characters. One missed, for instance, such well-known men as the Bishop of Worcester, the J Bev. W. Hay Aitken, Prof. Stokes, Dr. Stephen- son, the Rev. C. F. Aked, and a few others. But the majority of the old faces were present again, and there were several new ones, which lent both charm and influence to the picture. During the earlier stages of the season many persons of influ- ence in religious and literary circles took part in the meeting?,, and questions of great variety and interest were discussed, but the reunion week proper commenced on Sunday. September 3rd, and it is principally of those who participated in the'e discussions that I bball now speak. It is proper that in referring to these interesting figures Dr. Lunn himself should first receive some notice. He is, through all his ecclesiastical conflicts, the same restless, active spirit, with an insatiable thirst for work and signal powers of organisation. Such qualities often make men irritable and morose, but there is nothing of this about the doctor. He enjoys his holiday abroad —if holiday it can be termed in his case-as much as the youngest member of his party, is ever ready to appreciate a joke, and meets you with a free and easy welcome which puts everyone at his ease. No longer a Merhodist minister, he has now been admitted to the Methodist Episcopal Church of America by Bishop Vincent, the founder of the well-known Summer Schools of Chautauqua. The bishop, desiring to extend to the European continent the operations of the Chautauqua Institution, felt that the adhesion of Dr. Lunn would materially assist him in the work, and that the Reunion Conferences might serve as a basis on which to proceed. His offer was ac- cepted, and Dr. Lunn was ordained in Italy. Of the Chautauqua movement I will say something later on. In the Review of the Churches for Sep- tember there appears a group of the conference speakers. The first figure on the left is that of Phe Hyacinthe Loyson, the famous French pulpit orator, formerly of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, in Paris, and undoubtedly the most remarkable personage in the group. In a recent number of the Contemporary Review he gave what he called "My Testament," from which the following para- graph is taken.- At eighteen I tore myself away from all my dreams, from all I cared for in this world, and became a priest. At thirty I left my chosen priestly home, in the grave aud sweet society of St. Sulpice, and became a monk. Twelve years later, restored from many fatal though sincere illusions, I closed, in the very meridian of its splendour, my career as a preacher, and deliberately descended from the pulpit of Notre Dame Le enter on a hand-to-hand conflict with the wprse of Caesarisms, that of the Papacy, and the worst of If illusions, that of monastic perfection. I was excommunicated but I remained a Catholic. The Pope might cut me off from the visible Church over which he presides, but not from the Church nvieible, whose Head is Christ. Stop by step, I 'lit the whole way in the vindication of Christian jrty and three years atter my excommunication I ried, while wtill remaining a priest. It was the logic il, the most courageous, and, I am almost red to say, the most Christian act of my life. things succeeded one another in a broken, and often paradoxical sequence; but in their evolution was firm and progressive as lopsnent of conscience and the purposes of lerB it all to begin again-the same outward ances, the same inward experiences—I would 1 exactly as I did act. ere is now the recognised leader of the holies, and at the age of 66 retains all the -ous fire and eloquence which made his ig in the French capital so great an on. He opened the conference week with sermon of 75 minutes' duration, which was d to with perfect attention by the large ce made up of Reunionists and inhabitants erne. Beside him sits Hugh Price Hughes, J. James's Hall, a Welshman who boasts a ,rkable combination of opposite qualities- i as a tyrant and yet gentle as a woman; a of high scholastic attainments, and yet ngelical to a degree strong individualist on j side and strong collectionist on the other a ,yal constitutionalist and at the same time an .ncompromi&ing Radical. In speech he goes straight to the point, and rarely takes up any project which does not go." The centre figure is Bishop Vincent, of America, an exceedingly attractive speaker, who knows exactly how to put his case. H13 name has long been associated with the Chautauqaa summer school movement. The aim of the promoters is to provide recreation by change of occupation, to enable families to spead their holiday together, to encourage home rfe and home study, and so to give the members of each family a common interest in literary and intellec- tual pursuits. I s hope is not only to elevate domestic liie, but through the family to save the State from ecclesiastical domination and the in- trigues of the poli iCell trickster. Bishop Vincent while on his way from Bulgaria to Italy consented to break his journey at Lucerne and to explain the chief features of this gigantic educational scheme, by the hope of imitating which in Europe Dr Lunn is still animated. Dr MackennaJ, of Bowden, the statesman of Congregationalism, Dr Bruce, of Glasgow, the Scotch heretic, as he used to be called, and Mr Chas. Williams, of Accrington, of Liberationist fame, make a worthy trio. To see these three old cronies—all remark- able men in their own very different ways.— clubbing together for walks and excursions, cracking their jokes, comparing notes, and dis- coming problems, was indeed an interesting spec- tacle, and one ceases to wonder at the success of Non- conformity when it had at its helm men of so great resolution and character. The onlyChurch- man present is Professor Lias, formerly of Cam- bridge, a funny little man, of eccentric habits, with a very small body and a very large miud. It was quite curious to hear one apparently so ill-fitted for conflict and battle, describe how in the early stages of the Tractarian movement he had been persecuted and hooted at in the streets and nearly had his wooden church burnt down ou account of his religious views. Mr Percy Bunting, the Methodist batiijler, and the editor of the Contemporary, is like Professor Lias a man of great simplicity and great ability, as free from assumption as any one CoLid desire, and yet the one man who in the course of the debates could ■ftake hold of the tangled threads, reduce the trguments to something like order, and focus the mind ot the meeting upon the very kernel of the problem under discussion. The Rev C. A. Berry is now too well-known to need much description. His invitation to succeed Beecher brought him fame. He has travelled much, and his discourses are consequently conceived with a view to catching the man of the world. His visit to Newtown, and the service at the new Baptist Chapel he says he shall always remember. The Rev F. W. Bourne and the Rev Thos. Law, the corner men of the group, are not quite so well known. The former is an ex-president of the Bible Christian Con- ference, and the latter the author of the now well-known Bradford Visitation Scheme. There are two characters whose faces are not in the photographic group referred to, two journalists by the way, Mr W. T. Stead and Mrs Crawford, the Paris correspondent of the Daily News. Mr Stead's characteristics are known everywhere. He is one of the iuest remarkable men one could meet. He literally carea for nothing. At present he is gone on the borderland" business, and speaks of his ghosts" in the most confident manner. He assured us at dinner one day that he was as convinced of the existence of ghosts and doubles" as he was of his own existence they were, he felt sure, hovering around him; but could not be seen by the natural eye. He and a young lady made a solemn contract between the coursed that the first to die should at once visit the other and report the fact. This supernatural conversa- tion may seem a. little incongruous with a hearty lunch, but it was the kind of thing which went on from day to day. Mr Stead is writing a new book, the scheme of which he kindly unfolded to me one afternoon, hut is much too long to intro- duce here. He was particularly anxious to get someone to volunteer to allow himself to be half- drowned in order that Mr Stead might have a faithful account of what it was like; but the honour of appearing in tne Review Qf Reviews was outweighed by the unpleasant features of the experiment, and the challenge, so far as I know, remains unaccepted. Mr Stead's object at Lucerne was not, however, mainly to talk about ghosts but to explain his civic church scheme. j'his lie did on the last day of the reunion week. Instead of holding the meeting in a chapel he invited all the reunionists to an at home" at the chalet of Madame Merle-D'Aubigne," tue widow of the author of the History of the Reforma- tion." It was a delighful spot, on an eminence overlooking the lake, and with shady walks branching oil through a huge pine forest. At three o'clock Mr Stead commenced to unfold his scheme, which includes 93 points. He went on speaking in his free and furious fashion until six o'clock. At the end of three hours he had reached his sixth point out of the 93. The hopelessness of the task then made itself evident, and we adjourned, not reluctantly for tea. Whether Mr Stead resumed the discourse afterwards I could not say, for we were soon off into the woods and had forgotten all about the civic church in the beauty of our sur- roundings. Mrs Crawford, of Paris, is one of the most interesting of women journalists. She was not in the gayest of moods, for her daughter, going out to bathe, had been seized with era-mp and drowned. But she was exceedingly kind and genial and happy, and was in her manners and I y conversation about as different from the average so-called "intellectual" women as any sensible person could wish. She had seen life, more of it than most of those around her, and had long ago discarded nonsense. As to the conferences, there appeared throughout the discussions a desire to come to something practical. It was recognised that the time had come for conflicts of the past to bd laid to rest. and that the first step in the direc- tion of the reunion of the churches was practical co-operation in good works. Whether the Re- unionists are nearer to the goal in 1893 than they were last year it is difficult to say; but at least, as Mr Percy Bunting said, they are working for reunion, cultivating a sentiment in its favour, talking matters over, and endeavouring to ascer- tain where the real point of difficulty lies.

CONSERVATIVE MEETING AT BERRIEW. SPEECHES BY COL. HARRISON AND MR. ROBERT WYNN. On Wednesday night a Conservative and Unionist meeting in support of the candidature of Mr Robert Wynn was held in the Assembly Rooms, Berriew. The chair was occupied by Col. R. J. Harrison (Caerhowell), and there were on the platform Mr R. W. Wynn and Captain Johnes. Amongst the audience, which numbered about 80, were Mrs Humphreys-Owen, Rev J. Baines, Mrs and Miss Baines, Mr Lewis Andrew, Mr A. Howell, Mr W. Howell (Rhiewport), Mr Garnett (Rhieiv Batik), Rev J. Roberta (Fron), Mr Evan Jarvis (Lion Hotei), Mr E. Langford, Mr C. Shuker, Mr P. Bullock. Mr Evan Watkin (Sad House), Mr Thomas Embrey (Keel), Mr and Mrs Lloyd (Berriew), Mr Arthur (The LJoh), Mr and Mrs Withers (Rhiew Bank Cottage), Mrs Davies (Halfway Inn), Mr JKdw<*rds (Cefuyiheboth), Mr Pritchacd (fiea House), Mr Francis (Gaer), &e. The CHAIRMAN opened the proceedings by reading a letter from Major Corbett-Winder, in which he stated that he was prevented from attending, owing to his having been at a ball the previous night and felt quite knocked up klaugtiter). He asked the Chairman to tell Mr Wynn how sorry he was he was not with him, for there was no one who wished him more success than he (the writer) did himseif (applause). The Chairman said they all knew Major Corbett-Winder enough to know that when he saiu a thing he meant it, and they might feel sure that his good wishes would be carried out and seen at the time of an election, by rendering Mr Wynn every assistance in his power. They had met that night lor the purpose of meeting Mr Wynn, who had come forward to storm what some of their friends fondly hoped to be an impregnable citadel, the seat for the county of Montgomery, on behalf of the Conservative party. He did not wish in any way to be personal, but, perhaps, Mr Wynn might not be big to look at- (laugiiter) -but they all knew the great objects which little people had achieved in the past, and if Mr Wynu were not large in stature nor great in buik, he had got THE HEART OF A LION —(cheers)—and he meant to go into the fight with the full determination to win (hear, hear). He had very little doubt that if he carried out the work he had in view, with their assistance and co-operation, Mr Wynn would find himself in the position he hoped to hold (cheers). He was fully aware of the difficulties of the battle before him, and that he had to tignt for a seat, which for the last 13 years had been held by the opposite par y. He did not mini- mise in any way tne difficulties he would have to encounter, and one of those difficulties was as to who he would have to meet as au opponent (laughter). At the present time there was a great deal of uncer- tainty. They heard that the present member, who was such a strong pillar of Radicalism and who strongly objectea to anything of a hereditary char- acter, it was whispered quietly, and perhaps not falsely, that he hoped to fiad himself within that haven cf rest-the House of Lords (loud laughter). Whether the rumour was true or not time would only prove, but at any rate that impression war, abroad of that there could be very littJo doubt. Within the last week they had seen a report in the papers in which it was stated that in the event of Mr Gladstone beu^g beaten in Midlothian be intend d to offer himself to this constituency in other words, that Montgomeryshire was to be willing to take tuat which Scotland refused to have (iaughter). For the future success of the Conservative cause, although he did not say that Mr Gladstone would not get in, he firmly believed he would at the first election, but if MB GLADSTONE CAME BEFORE THE CONSTITUENCY, it would be the last herald of the future success of the Conservative party. He based his argument on tuis fact, that wherever Mr Gladstone had sat for, he tad, after a time, been inevitabiy turned out (loud cheers). If he had not been turned cut he had considered discretion (tie better part of valonr, a:.d cleared out of th<j con- (tie better part of valonr, a:.d cleared out of th," con- stituency. He had sat tor the University of Ox rd, for-a division in Lancashir e, Greenwich, and from ihere he thought it advisable to transfer his affec- tions to Midlothian, and the result af the last eiec- Liou at tue laUei.* divhionhad showed that instead ui being returned v.itu a lar^e ajority, he had oiki), the moderate majority ot about 600 [cheers, and voice; "It was not his majority"]. If Mr Gladstone stood for Midlothian at the next election he would oertainly be turned out (cheers). Whether Mont- gomeryshire was to have the leavings of Scotland at the next election. or whether a gentleman of the county would be their opponent; a gentleman well known, and whom they all respected—[Captain Johnes: "No, no']-yes, he (the speaker) had the greatest possible respect for him. He took a great interest in the ccnnty, and he worked very hard. He (the colonel) did not agree with his principles and views, nor the modes in which he carried them out, but he had every respect for him (hear, hear). At any rate, whoever Mr Wynne had to fight, the fight would, to a certain extent, be made somewhat easier by the unpleasant and not very creditable manner 1m which a certain portion of the Liberal party within the borders of the county had behaved during the past twelve months (cheers). He was not going to stir up the MUDDY WATER OF THE ELECTION PETITION trial, but he wished to point out that that petition was tried according to the law of England, and according to the law of England Sir Pryce-Jones retained his seat. According to the law of England the judges declared that his opponents should pay his costs, and he did say that it was a most burning shame and a great discredit to the Liberal party in this county, that three men of straw should have signed that petition, and that Sir Pryoe-Jones, after winning the trial, should not have been paid the costs he had incurred during that trial (cheers). He said distinctly that it was a most discreditable proceeding, and it must to a great extent have an effect upon and would weigh in the minds of the electors in this county against the Liberal party (applause). It was not for him to enter upon a long discusaion as to the actions of the present Govern- ment. They had heard all about them during the past twelve months, and no doubt Mr Wynn would have a great deal to say upon the subject, but he thought, at any rate) that chart (pointing to a copy of the Home Rule Bill, which was adorned with fancy colourings, pointed out to them that England was in great danger, and if they did not mind they would be under what he would call A SYSTEM OF MODERN TYRANNY (cheers). There was one man, and one man only, who was so deeply wedded to Home Buie, and who bad done his best to carry into law such a bill for the better Government of Ireland in one session. In past sessions many great and important Bills had to be brought forward and discussed, and from the fact of their importance they had been dropped for the eeiision because they had not been fully discussed. The chart on the wall woul4 show them how much of the Home Rule Bill had been discussed, and they would see that they only debated a very small por- tion of it [cheers, and Captain Johnes: Shame, shame"]. He thought they had great reasons for congratulating themselves that they had a House of Lords- (cheers)-and because they had the courage of their opinions, and had refused co pass a Bill which tad never been discussed, and upon which the electors of the country had never passed their judg- ment. They had had no means of judging the merits .,f the Bill, and the House ot Lords decided to refuse to pass through their House the Bill which h id been hurried through the House of Commons in such an irregular mauner-(cheers)-agaiust one of the great glories of England, freedom of debate and freedom of the House of Commons. If it were to be witbin the power of any minister to rush a bill through the House of Commons in the way Mr Glad. stone had endeavoured to do the Home Rule Bill, he thought that they were in great danger of being gov- erned by an autrocrat and being entirely under a tyranny (hear, hear). With regard to other mea- sures, when Mr Wynn represented them in the House of Commons-(obeers)-he would make agriculture the oue topic upon which he would pay greatest attention to. This was evidently an agricultural county, and in the present UNHAPPY STATE OF AGRICULTURE, he thought it was of the greatest possible necessity that they should return to Parliament a gentleman who was brought up in the county, who waa one of the county, and who was prepared at all costa t promote the welfare of the agricultural portion o* the constituency (cheers). He thought there was one subject upon which the attention of their legis- lators should be turned, and that was the question of the railway rates. He knew it was a difficult and thorny subject. but something ought to be done so that the English farmer might be able to send his produce into the London market, and other markets ot the provincial cities on the same terms as the foreign producer. Through rates was a difficult ques- tion, but at present the foreigner could send his corn to market cheaper than the home producer, and that was having the effect of doing away with Free Trade. It was t)ro, e,eting the foreigner against the English farmer (cheers). There was one other point he would mention, and that was the burning question of Wales, the question of the Church. He hoped be would not say anything that would be offensive to their Non- conformist neighbours and friends. There was one ooint which did oeem to him to require to be cleared up. and that was he could not understand the ground upon which EARNEST AND RELIGIOUS NONCONFORMISTS wished to disestablish and disendow the Church (cheers). There was no doubt that the endowments of the Church were left in the past for the purposes of religion. As he understood it, the scheme of their opponents was to disestablish and disendow the Church, and take away from her the endowments she now possessed, and use them for purely secular purposes. That seemed to him to be entirely wrong. Money left for the purposes cf religion should be u-i, (I for religious purposes only and for no other (cheers). He did not say that it was not possible to improve the Church of England, he thought she was improv- ing and being improved every day, but to cripple her, when she was doing a great work, by taking away her fUDds which enabled her to do that work was doing great injury to the cause of religion at large (loud cheers). He quite agreed that every credit was due to the Nonconformists for having found the money to build their chapels aud maintain their mini-itera-(cheers) -but he could not see how they would improve their position if they took away the funds from h ir sister Church, I NOT FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT, { but to use for secular objects (hear, hear ) It was said that endowments were not good things, and that it was better to have everything on a voluntary basis. He wouui like to call attention to the Intermediate Edu- cation scheme in the county. Tne first thing they were endeavouring to do was to raise an endowment fund, so that the school could be carried on in a pro- per manner. Every hospital, every infirmary, every- thing which concerned worldly affairs, they tried to rais3 an endowment fund for, and if these things were necessary to carry on efficiently worldly affairs, bow much more important and necessary were they to carry on things spiritual, which were of such greater importance (cheers.) There was another ground, though a much lbwer one, he would take up, which would show that disendowment would not benefit the districts. When the Church of Ireland was disen- dowed the money was used for building piers and im- proving seaports on the coast, but the inhabitants were not one penny piece the better off because the Church was disendowed. How would the inhabitants of the various parishes of the county be benefitted if the discndowments were taken away from the Church ? It was a low grcund to look at the question, but the majority of parsons had to live in the villages, and he spent his money in the villages, but when they took away his money how they would be benefitted h failed to see (cheers.) He contended that the men WHO were going about the country advocating the disestablishment and disendowment of the Church should put their hands in their pockets and raise a Nonconformist endowment, so that instead of endea- vouring to LEVEL DOWN THE CHURCH the Nonconformist should level up 10 the Church (cheers). He hoped no Nonconformist would be offended at what he had said, but he had simply put the matter as it occurred to him. He would call upon Mr Wynn to address them. He was a Welsh- man, brt-d and born among them. He was well aware of all that, concerned the farmers, and he took a great intcest in agricultural topics; and he was wiiiing to fight this severe battle, and whom they hopad it .vouid be their pleasure to send to represent them in Parliament (loud cheers). Mr R. W. WYNN, who was well received, at the outset of his speech, referred to the pleasan- associations which the village of Berriew brought hack. For many years he had been connected with the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry Cavalry, and had pÛrb2 ps taken a greater interest than some other officer*, an i was doing his best for the soldiers but tie laust say that the men known as the Berriew troop wire the pleasant st and sharpest lot of men that any man could wish to c)mo into contact with (app!au-e>. He hoped his connection begun with them would go 01), and that be might know them (the audience) and others, and that they might all feel there was existing between them a true bond or union (chf-ors). He was rather amused to read a criticism of a certain meeting, heid at Welshpool, in tile Montt)onw»shire Express' and Radnor Times. He believed that paper assorted that Mr Stuart Rendel would not have any cause to tremble in his seat. He thought it was very likely they (the paper) knew ;uore°than they did, and that they referred to the rumour about Mr Rendtl's seat in the House of Lords (laughter). Perhaps they were trembling for vL Gladstone—(hen r, bo-tr)-bul. whoever they '■>u:;ht, whether Mr Stuart xiendel or Mr Gladstone, or Tuy tl,;er gentleman in the county, he hoped the c-utl^r-y would be maintained bet.v^n them ought to prevail between persons who f. ught oil ,jL>litical ground-! (loud cheers). HE ENTIRELY DISAGREED WITH PERSONAL ATTACKS, and he hoped in the heat of battle that neither mmself or his supporters would ever use i..o-.« tactics (hear, hear). This county was an agricultural one, and it was as an agricultural member-he should have said candidate (laughter)—that he had come forward. They were bound up entirely with the land. Owing to foreign competition the lead mines of Montgomery- shire had dwindled down and practically disappeared, and until they saw a great improvement in the lead trade, he feared they would not have that great prosperity as once was at Llanbrynmair and ac the Van Mines. That bad gone, and they must now turn their attention to what remained. Take agriculture, the farmers themselves, the labourers, and the townspeople. Who was it that kept the townspeople going? It was the farmers and labourers who sold their wares, and unless there was prosperity in one class there would be no prosperity in the other (hear, hear). There were agitations being set up, by which it was stated that landowners were against the people. That point had been pretty well dis- proved by the evidence which had been given before the Land Commission sitting in Merionethshire and Anglesey and other places (cheers). He thought it one of the best possible advertisements for the land- owners, especially the larger class. They had been going through a very bad stage of agricultural do-, pression, and now that all classes were combining together, he thought that the agricultural members returned to the House of Commons should combine and work for the people they were supposed to re- present (cheers). Labour organisations were being formed, and were forcing their views, no matter how small or how great, on the House of Commons, but nothing had been done TO FAVOUR AGRICULTURE. Mr Gladstone devoted one line to it in the Queen's Speech, in which he expressed great sorrow and sympathy with the Welsh farmers, but beyond that he had done absolutely nothing to help them, and he (Mr Wynn) did not think he intended to do anything (cheerB) There was a great deal of talk about the Parish Councils Bill. Personally, he had no objec- I tion to it. He did not think it would alter the pre. sent arrangements, except that the clergyman would not have the power of presiding over the vestry, but so long as it was kept on true and right lines it would do no hurt in any way. There was one thing their re- presentatives should look after, and that was conveyed in the old English saying, He who pays the piper has the right to call the tune," but according to this new scheme the Parish Council would have the power of voting money, or levying a certain rate, and he feared that the persons who paid the rate would not have the spending of it (cheers). That was an important point they had to look to. Those who paid the rates ought to have the greater power in the spending of the rates (loud cheers). They had seen THE RATES GRADUALLY INCREASING and increasing, each year they groaned under the burden, although no efforts were made towards equal- ising or reducing them. A fellow farmer remarked to him, not far from Berriew, upon the question of highway rates, and he proved in certain parishes the farmer paid 19s 6d for each horse owned, while a horse kept for hire only paid a rate of 6s (Captain Johnes: Hear, hear.) That made a difference of 13s 6d against the farmer, who had to take the risks of the seasons, tilling the soil, bad harvests, and even on such a small thing as that he was handicapped to the extent of 13s 6d per horse. It was not to Parish Councils that they had to look for the reduction of the rates. Nobody was able to do that so well as the people who had to pay them (cheers.) He hoped th jy would not be cut away from old associations too quickly, unless they were perfectly confident that the new friends were really what they were represented to be (cheers). He would pass to the absorbing topic, about which they had heard so much, and that was Ireland. They had heard a great deal about IRELAND BLOCKING THE WAY and being removed out of the way. At present they were not quite sure, so far as the Government was concerned, as to where the Irish question was. The Home Rule Bill was pasted by the House of Com- mons by a majority of 34. That meant that if 17 members of Parliament were converted the majority would disappear. They had seen in the papers lately speeches by Mr Redmond, who represented the Parnellities. He (Mr Redmond) had distinctly chal- lenged the Government and declared that he would not, neither would his followers support the present Government if they hung up Home Rule; and he promised to wage war and make it as uncomfortable as possible for the Government during the next ses- sion. The Parnellites tepresented nine, and nine sub. tracted from seventeen did not leave a very large majority to carry on the present Home Rule Bill (cheers.) Mr Gladstone himself at Edinbugh was rather careful to hide his meaning, but they could draw the conclusion that he was yet of opinion that it was possible for the Home Rule Bill to be drawn from the visionary waves in which it was engulfed. If it were again brought forward there would then be a row with the Welsh and English parties, while if he did not there would be a row with Mr Redmond, who declared he would leave him. Which of these posi- tions was Mr Gladstone to choose? (laughter.) They had also seen another great member of the Govern. ment speaking, Mr Asquith, the Home Secretary, and he thought every right thinking man would perfectly agree and stand up for THE MANLY AND STRAIGHTFORWARD WAY which he had taken up towards the dynamiters and towards the rioters during the last regrettable coal strikes (cheers). He was down on them, and he thought rightly, and every Englishman would back him up. Bat then on the other hand a number of the men who support this Home Rule Bill had been supporters (f dynamite. They had pushed forward their policy by explosions. They bad openly ad. vocated, received grants of money from different associations in America, the Clan-na-gael, and other societies, and they were quite ready to receive it again if they could get it. Mr Asquith said that the more people came to see of the question and realise the character of the task in which the Government was engaged, the more they would understand how baseless were the apprehensions which formed the stock-in-trade of their political opponents. They had seen Ireland under different Governments, partly prosperous and preparing to right herself and then she went back again, but he did not think that a', any time they could find that Ireland was in a much worse btate than at present, as far as agricultural crim] was ooncerned (cheers). County Clare was as bad as it possibly could be. Aftt-r relating a personal incident the speaker referred to the loyal minority, as being told they ought to trust the other sections, which composed thiee-fiiths of the population of Ireland. But upon what ground could they base that trust in the Nationalists P Had they ever shown themselves capable of dealing with any one question ? Take the question of the management of the Freeman's Journal; what a squabble they had over that. Their ranks were divided into sections of all sorts and kinds. The PARNELLITES HATED THE ANTI-PARNELLITES, and vice-versa, and he asked how could theee people be brought together to rule a country properly ? (cheers). He also thought the fact that Englishmen and Welshmen by granting Home Rule would be paying .£1. 17a 6.1 per head, while Irishmen would only be paying 7s, should be brought home to their minds, and besides that enormous sum they would have an ever-increasing danger at thuir door (applause). They had seen a great deputation wait upon the Lord Mayor of London, when the principal speaker was Sir William Ewart, who distinctly and emphatically assured his lordship that at that time nearly every youth of 16 was enrolled in the north. The Irish Parliament would be cut down into sec- tions, tind the whole of the policy which they intended to pursue would be cut and dried. These men were ready to fight and maintain their rights ia the same way by which their fathers gained taose rights. They would have a discontented country close on their own borders, and should we ever be at war with any European nation they would have trouble in lie and (cheeis). The tiaies were not so very pacific I aa some people tried to make out. The Russian and the Frencc meeting showed which way the wind blew, and no two na ions hated England so much as the RusÜans and French. Supposing England were at I war with France, and I eland was under a separate Parliament, what power was there to prevent occur- ring what bad happened before- THE FRENCH LANDING IN IRELAND at the invitaiion of tue Itish, and wnat hid once happened could easily happen again (cheers). He was certain these remarks, it they thought over them, would appeal to every Englishman, every Welshman, and tell them that the worse thing to do was to grant Home Rule to Ireland (cheers). Promptly with the granting of Home Rule capital would fly the country, and when capital went credit would follow. Already the Scotch had reduced and with- drawn from Ireland three millions of investments, and a certain firm which employed 2,000 hands had taken an estimate of the cost of removing their factory to England, although it would mea 1 a loss of X40,000 to them. Starvation and ios., of work would follow, the labour markets would be fiooieJ, the streets would be filled with starving- workmen, ready to take any wage to earn money for bread. They would have to keep those families, and that would m? t/i increased rales. For that the only thing tbev would have to thank would be Home Rule, and regret that they had not put their loot down when they could and done their best to stick to their fellow Protest-ints in Ireland, in order to g,iiii various prcmii.es made at Newcastle, and that thev had tsirown a-ide their o;d feelings for their Cj- religionists nnd left them to be tram pied down by THEIR HEREDITARY FOES— the Roman Catholics (loud cheers). That he w.s certain no Welshma.n would do. The moment t!k electors really grasped whtt Home tiule really meant, they would say they would have none ot it (cheers). He would not detain them longer, but he asked them at the next election not to give tb-ir vote.- to_ a man because he htppened to have any peculiarities, but to vote for the policy which would do themselves good, the country good—(applau e)— and then they would find they would be on the right lines (loud cheers). Mr RICHARD LANGFORD said they would find in Mr Wynn a gentleman who was interested in the locality, who was a countryman of their own, and who would give a great deal more time and atten- tion to their business than a comparative stranger (cheers.) The county had for a number of years been misrepresented (Captain Johnes: Hear, hear, and ap- plause.) They had sent a man to Parliament under an error. He was not interested whatever in the county, he did not pay one penny in taxes, nor one penny as rent, and he cared for nothing but place, place, place (laughter and applause.) As a matter of business was it not time to think for themselves, and assert their independence? They had now an oppor- tunity of having a gentleman to represent them who had got their interest at heart (A Voice: Where's yours ?) Continuing, the speaker argued that an Eng- lish farmer had to pay 14s in taxes for every beast he sent to market, while the foreigner did not pay one halfpenny. Referring to the Home Rule Bill, he said Mr Gladstone at the commencement of the session did not know what it was, aud personally he THANKED GOD FOR THE HOUSE OF LORDS, and from experience he knew the Lords were the best and more practical and business-like than the mem- bers of the House of Commons (cheers.) The speaker suddenly changed his topic and commenced with disestablishment, where he got stranded, but ulti- mately he sailed to his chair with a little simple story about a ship in full sail. A Voice Won't Mr Mytton come out again P (loud laughter). Captain JOHNES was the next speaker. As the worthy Captain stated frankly at the outset that he was not a practised speaker, it is only charitable to leave a blank a I Mr WYNN proposed a vote of thanks to the Chair. man for presiding (cheers.) Personally he owed a great debt of gratitude to Col. Harrison for the man- ner in which he had befriended him during the last nine months, and he hoped that some day they would have Col. Harrison in Parliament (loud cheers, dur- ing which Captain Johnes got up, waved his hands, and several times shouted "Hoorah.") Mr LEWIS-ANDREW said he was sure everyone in the room would gladly confirm Mr Wynn's utterances with regard to Colonel Harrison, who had been fre- quently asked to become the candidate for the county, but he had always declined. Had he came forward Mr Andrew firmly believed he had a very good and almost positive certainty of being returned, because he was universally liked from one end of the county to the other (loud cheers.) Colonel HARRISON thanked the audience, and afterwards proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Wynn for the interest he took in politics, and he asked them all to help to fight for the party which was best cal- culated to promote the well-being and happiness and prosperity of the country they all loved so well (loud cheers.) Captain J OHNES proposed, and Mr LEWIS-ANDREW seconded, a vote of thanks to the trustees for the use schoolroom. After whioh the meeting broke up with loud cheerB for Mr Wynn, and singing the National Anthem.

WELSHPOOL TOWN COUNCIL- —TUESDAY. Present: The Mayor (E. O. Jones, Esq.,) Aldermen W. A. Rogers, Harrison, and MorriB, Councillors Galloway, E. L. Jones, T. Parry. D. Jones, J. H. Anderson, J. P. Jones, G. E. Davies, T. S. Pryce, and H. Hawksworth, with Mr E. Jones, town clerk, Mr G. Snook, surveyor, and Mr T. A. Basnett, collector. Councillor Pryce Jones, before the business of the Council was proceeded with, said he wished to call the attention of the members to the report of the number of attendances of members of the Council which had appeared in the Press. Although he had been one of the most regular attendants at the Council meetings he was only credited with thirty attendances. He would like to ask the Town Clerk whether the list of attendances was published by his authority or not. The Town Clerk: As far as I know, I have no knowledge of the matter. Alderman Rogers It is impossible for anyone to get the list of attendances except from the Town Clerk. Councillor Pryce Jones: It is unfair to me and those I represent, as well as to other members of the Board. Councillor Galloway: It was supplied from the Town Clerk's office. Councillor Pryce Jones: I move that in future that the Town Clerk be instructed to supply the liat of attendances. This was agreed to, and the subject dropped. THE COST OF THE WATERWORKS IMPROVEMENT. The Mayor You are aware that this meeting has been called for the purpose of bearing a statement in connection with the waterworks. Unfortunately, the statement has only been presented this morning, and I have not had an opportunity of looking through it or examining the items. I find from the account given that the expenses in connection with the water scheme amounted to X700. Of course those figures are considerably in excess of the amount I anticipated would be expended, but whether or not the additional expense has been incurred through the employment of additional labour I am not in a position to state, but I would suggest that we appoint a committee to investigate every item. My private opinion was that the total expense would not exceed .£600, but it will be for the committee to go through each item and see where the difference arises. Perhaps this would be a fitting occasion for me to make a statement as to what the waterworks have cost us during the past ten years. Councillor Pryce Jones It would be more in order if the Mayor were to read out the statement. The Mayor: I am not sure. It is for you to decide whether it would not be better before the matter ia discussed, to let the Finance Committee investigate the items. The account has only arrived this morn- ing, and it will be difficult for us to deal with it without the Finance Committee having previously gone through the items. We can easily read the items, but that will not be conclusive until we ex. amine every item to see where the expenses have been occurred. Alderman Harrison: Is the statement a long one? The Mayor The summary is a short one. Alderman Harrison: Is it worth while to have the statement printed and circulated amongst the mem. bers of the Council ? Alderman Rogers thought the statement ought to go before the Finance Committee before the Council dealt with it, and that each member of the Finance Committee should have a copy. Alderman Haarison I think that every member of the Council should have a copy. Alderman Rogers It is an astonishing thing to me that this statement should make out that the work has cost such an amount, and that there is so great a difference in the estimate, which was something about £ 320. Councillor Galloway I should like to know whether this total is a rough one, and whether the work is yet finished? The Mayor It is finished. Alderman Rogers: It is utterly astonishing, and therefore I think it is impossible for us to deal with the matter to-day. This is a statement from the en- gineer, in whom a great many gentlemen around this table had a great deal of confidence. I should like the Town Clerk to find out what was the original estimate, and I should like to have it now Councillor Anderson I think we should certainly go through the items. Alderman Rogers I will move that it be submitted first to the Finance Committee, and that they nhall have the statement printed and (-,irculated amongst the members. The Town Clerk: Do you mean the summaiy p Alderman Rogers: No, the whole thing. I quite acree wi h Alderman Harrison that we cannot deal with it in any other shape. Councillor Anderson I think it should be gone into before the Council, and not in committee. It seems to me an extraordinary amount of money to be ex- panded, considering what the original estimate was, and I think the whole Council should go into the bill. The Mayor I may state that the Borough Sur- v3yor's eaumate for wages is £ 248. This appears to be an extraordinary item, and requires careful in- vestigation. Alderman Rogers said that tho Council must under- stand that a great deil of extra labour had been caused by putting the pipes through the dam after it was made, instead of bet ore it was made. He drew the attention of the Council to the fact at the time, and it was considered not worth while taking iuto consideration. They now had the result. Councillor Pryce Jones I do not think any state- ment should be published by tho Mayor or anybody elsp, until we have gone through the bill. I object to it on principle; and I do not think it is right. 'lhl-.l Mayor The statement I have to make has nothing to do with the statement re- ceived. I think it is a fitting occasion for me, and it will be interesting for the pubiic t) know what expotidituto has been incurred on the waterworks during the patt years. I find that iu 1882-3, in the time of Mr Samuel Salter's inayo alty, j £ 350 8s was spent, in 1883-4 (itir W. A. ii' gew) <i'73 t»fj 8 J, in 18S4-J (Mr W. A. Rogers) « £ 75, maki: g a total of X251 16a Sri during the mayoralty of Air A. Rogers. In 1336 7, the year of Mr T. It. Morris's mayoralty, £44 10s was spent, and in 1887-8, tho year of Mr David Riciiarcls'ri mayoralty, Ji'Mio 18s 8d. In 1888-9 (Mr Pryce Barrett), ^8251 l2s 5d, in 1389-90 (Col. Huddlestor;), noiuir.g, in 1890-1 (Col. Huddleston), X32, in 1891-2 (Mr W. A. Rogers) noth ing. These figures show that in ten years baS been spent. I merely state this that yon may kncir and compare the expenditure of the completed Job with the patch-work which has been going on f«tt number of years In reference to the other ment, I am so taken by surprise that I do not think I am called upon to make any further reiuarlks now. Alderman Rogers As you have been 80 good as to give the Board what has been spent on the wat«* works during the last ten years, I think it would bo as well to give details what the money was spent Am. I should like to give the details. In the first iploogit, was stated that so much was spent during the niaycc- alty of Mr Samuel Salter, The amount might baV9 been paesed at that time, but the work, which wae that of raising the dam three feet and also alteriM? the filter beds—was done during the mayoralty <4 Iu Charles Mytton. With regard to the expenditure' during my mayoralty I would point out that we bad1 great difficulty during that time with the reservoir, and especially with the bottom pool which WAO flooded. The amount spent in Alderman T. R» Morris's year of office was for relaying the weir, and a capital job it was, too. As to the £ 360 spent dur- ing the mayoralty of Mr D. Richards, that was i- as exceptional occurrence. It was the time who the filter beds fell in, and had to be rebuilt. In to last year money was spent in order to øtop tb* leakage, and I have been informed that it has beeo stopped. Tne Purveyor The leakage has been stopped. Alderman Rogers There was also the expect So regard to the canal men. The Surveyor: The leakage was stopped to J-. extent-more than half. Alderman Rogers said he was sure they would fee continually spending money on the wateTWOrlr There is no doubt whatever that we shall have to i to a large expense in cleaning out the bottom pool, or top part; at all events, it will be a Bericull item. The engineer told me, with a smile on his faw that he could not tell what would be the expense* but ft would amount to a good round sum. The Mayor: Since we have been discapsixg tihe matter it has been discovered that there is an encoc in the statement of £ 105 in round figures. That, if deducted from the total which has been mentioned* leaves the amount at .£596. Alderman Rogers That's all the better. The Mayor said he felt in an awkward he had not had an opportunity of calling s, meeting of the Finance Committee to go into the aecoant*. Of course what had been discovered put a (MMtBBt feature upon the matter, and it was very plftuiw to him. He had calculated the cost and anti<9pat#d it would not exceed .£600, and he was pleased to find it was so. He wished this bad been known, as It would have saved him a little inconvenience. The Clerk read a letter from Mr Wyatt, vaeltfamg the statement of account for work done in comMtetlQK with the waterworks. Councillor J. P. Jones asked if the Board w. called upon to pay the amount set down for railway fares, because in some instances Mr Wyatt CttM there for his own benefit. The Mayor What could be his purpose in comiBg unless it was to look after our work ? Councillor J. P. Jones To meet the Board. The Mayor: It was perfectly necessary, that hit should, as an engineer, come here and give cxpla&a* tions. The Mayor, proceeding, said he wonld bttf* called a meeting of the Finance Committee to g* into the accounts before the Council mat had fcp known they were to be brought forward. Wbe» he saw the total, £ 700, he was as much disappointed so anybody, but now he had no hesitation an aayisf that the amount did not exceed his anticipatuns. The cost of labour had been immensely enhanced owing to the weather they bad had to contend with* and under the circumstances he did not think they could have done better than they had done. He thought the total was Dot unreasonable, and that works would be a credit to the Board and a iaatlgg benefit to the inhabitants of the town. Alderman Harrison seconded the motion tJ:.at tbe • matter be discussed in committee, but sngffMtmi that the committee should consist of the 'If"- Board. A LAMP WANTED, A communication was read from the Bev. D. Grimaldi Davis, asking that tne lamp gbosld be replaced opposite the Church House. The Mayor said it was an urgent case, as the ISMP would be wanted in time for the opening ceremony* The matter was referred to the Lighting and Paving Committee. The Council then went into Committee.